Today, hosts HM magazine and sponsor SPICE magazine can confirm over 500 hotel executives, investors, owners and suppliers are now expected at AHICE, one that is now guaranteed to sell out and anyone still seeking to purchase ticket is encouraged to do so in the coming days.

The news comes it was revealed late last week that AHICE has been extended by a further half-day and the line-up of speakers now includes more CEOs, owners and investors from across the globe.

AHICE, being held at Grand Hyatt Melbourne, now starts at 10:30am on Wednesday April 29 and concludes at 5:00pm on Thursday April 30.

Leading Australian restaurateur Luke Mangan, the consulting chef for Virgin Australia and P&O Cruises, and who has restaurants at Hilton Sydney and Hilton Surfers Paradise alongside ventures across Asia-Pacific, is also scheduled to now speak on the future of hotel restaurants globally.

New sessions also added to the two-day program include: the importance of Indigenous training and employment in Australia; an update on the new brands heading for Australasia (including Ritz-Carlton, Holiday Inn Express, Aloft and W); and the latest in technology, from Smart TVs to the Apple Watch opening doors in hotels.

Barlow was formerly the President of Asia Pacific for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and is travelling to the event from Dubai where he is heading one of the Middle East’s fastest growing hotel investment companies.

Key investors James Hines, Jerry Schwartz, IBA’s Mark Bullock, Pro-invest’s Phil Kasselis and Lancemore’s Julian Clark are also confirmed as speakers over the two day event.

Tourism Australia’s Managing Director John O’Sullivan is scheduled to give a keynote speech, while Tourism Industry Association New Zealand’s CEO Chris Roberts will provide an update on the hotel industry across the Tasman and Albury Mayor Kevin Mack till talk about the need for governments of all levels to support regional tourism.

A new ‘meet the press’ session will also be held, whereby leading journalists will be asking CEOs about pressing issues in the hotel industry across Asia-Pacific and key members of the panel include the Australian Financial Review’s Property Reporter Larry Schlesinger, the Sydney Morning Herald’s Commercial Property Editor Carolyn Cummins and HM magazine’s Editor-In-Chief James Wilkinson.

Other topics at AHICE will also include Asian investment in Australasia, local investment, fund management and family investment alongside hotel development and key operations panels covering IT, F&B, human resources, hotel management contracts, OTAs, aviation and more.

AHICE remains focused on covering key operational topics, while the new investment panels have been added due to industry demand.

The official welcome reception, sponsored by Intrust Super, will be held at Park Hyatt Melbourne at 6:00pm on April 29 and is one of many networking events to be held throughout AHICE.